Peter's Cowardice
by ClockworkScales
Summary: Sirius is sick of Peter's cowardice and tries to teach him to be brave. One-shot.


Sirius was tired of Peter's cowardice and decided to try and teach him to be brave.

'You'd think you'd know how to be brave as a Gryffindor, but no...' Sirius thought to himself as he dragged Peter out onto the lawn next to Hogwarts's Lake for the second day in the row.

It all started when Sirius noticed Peter's actions (or lack thereof) towards his first serious crush: Mivvy, a Ravenclaw. She had a dainty figure and mousy brown hair. Why Peter liked her, Sirius hadn't been sure. She wasn't in any of their classes.

'I see her in the library a bit.' Peter had explained.

'Oh, you've stalked her, then? Just like a marauder!'

'No, she's helped me with some homework before.'

'Before meaning when?'

'Before meaning several years ago.'

Sirius took a deep breath as they continued to trudge across the lawn, finding a nice spot under the trees. Sirius was still plagued by yesterday's failure of a lesson. He had tried to engage Peter in a form of psychoanalysis, to try and find the root cause of Peter's cowardice. It didn't go well. Peter had eventually said: 'It's just part of my character. Maybe I'll always be a coward.'

'Excuses!' Sirius had bellowed.

Peter had then tentitively asked if his animagus form would change if he was no longer a coward. An animagus so connected to somebody's character could never change... or could it? Sirius had to admit he didn't know, and then decided to end the lesson prematurely.

Today, he was going to try something else.

They nestled themselves under a tree and Sirius turned to Peter.

'Now, I want you to imagine that I am Mivvy. And then I want you to talk to me. Imagine how cute I look with my curly hair.'

Peter stared at Sirius with his mouth slightly ajar. Peter shut his mouth and concentrated. Quickly, his eyes became round and beads of sweat formed on his forehead. He gulped.

'I can't do it!'

'Nonsense!' Sirius said. 'You just have to try harder. C'mon, Wormtail!' Sirius slapped Peter on the back.

Peter tried once again, and failed miserably. His cheeks flushed and he stammered pathetically as Sirius took Peter's hand and slapped it.

'Wormtail, do you want to get laid?' Sirius said, and immediately regreted asking such a blunt question because Peter's face went beet red. Sirius cleared his throat. 'Do you want to hold the girl?'

'Y-yes,' Peter managed to stammer.

'Do you want to please her?'

'Y-yes.'

'Do you want to whisper sweet nothings in her ear?'

'Y-yes, of course!'

'Then man up, you worm!'

Peter took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Once his face was devoid of expression or colour he opened them. As soon as he caught sight of Sirius he hid his face behind his hands.

'I give up! I can't do this, Sirius. I'll be single forever!'

'Don't talk rubbish!'

'It's not rubbish,' Peter wailed. 'It's completely true! If accepting my character means I have to be single forever, then I'll do it!'

'Accept? No! Not accept! Reject! Fight it, Peter! Your cowardice is your enemy!'

'I can't! My cowardice prevents me!' Peter exclaimed.

Sirius sat, deep in thought. Peter certainly didn't get in Gryffindor for nothing, and he certainly wasn't a complete fraidy cat or he wouldn't be able to deal with all the shenanigans he, James, and Remus got up to. Sirius thought back to all the times Peter had been brave, and then he realised.

Sirius got to his feet, pulling Peter up with him.

'Peter, I want you to listen to me very carefully.'

Peter nodded.

'I want you to ask Mivvy out on a date right now. If you haven't done it by the time I see you later tonight in the common room, you will have lost my friendship.'

Peter frowned and tried to laugh. 'You don't mean that.'

'I do mean it,' Sirius said, and he turned and pointed at the castle. 'I want you to go right now, find her, and ask her out. I will never speak to you again if you don't.' There was a pause. Peter did nothing. Sirius's blood boiled. 'Go! Do it now!'

Peter scampered away in fright and Sirius slinked down and rest under the tree. Sirius couldn't help feeling some unease in his stomach at this relevation. He wondered if Peter's cowardice could truly be overcome. Peter clearly hadn't gotten into Gryffindor based on his bravery. He ruffled his black hair and then ascended to the Gryffindor common room where he conversed with James and Remus until they decided to go to bed. He didn't see Peter return until midnight and when he did, he was frowning and looking rather sour.

'You did it, eh? What did she say?'

'She said no, of course!' Peter snapped.

Sirius clapped his hands together. 'Well, that's settled then! Next time you're too afraid to do something you should come get me and I'll threaten you to do it!'

Sirius laughed at the irony. Peter ignored him and skulked up to the boy's dormitory.

Sirius spent some moments thinking, staring into the warm hearth. Embers jumped out of the fireplace and fizzled out.

'A rat will always be a rat,' Sirius murmured.


End file.
